Lemon Chicken Cutlets with Asparagus

Lemon Chicken Cutlets with Asparagus

This is a quick and easy skillet dinner you can have on the table in less than 30 minutes. It’s also a great dish to prepare for buffets because the chicken cutlets are smaller than a whole breast and it’s delicious at room temperature.

Enhance the flavor of this dish with one of my favorite pairings... a mug of my Thai Lemongrass Bone Broth!

Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 15 min | Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (place in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes)
  • 2 tablespoons ghee or pasture-raised butter, divided
  • ½ teaspoon Celtic or Pink Himalayan salt 
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • ¼ cup Italian flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Lemon slices for garnish (optional)

Directions

The easiest way to make chicken cutlets is to have the chicken partially frozen so you can slice it thinly. Place chicken breast on a cutting board and hold it flat with one hand. With a very sharp chef’s knife in your dominant hand, slice the chicken horizontally (parallel to the cutting board).

Pound each cutlet with a meat mallet into thin cutlets about ⅜- to ½-inch thick without shredding the meat. Alternately, place one hand over the other; use the heel of the bottom hand to press down and flatten each piece to a ⅜- to ½-inch thickness. Trim ragged edges. 

Melt 2 teaspoons ghee/butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. When the pan is hot, sauté several cutlets for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side just until it is cooked through. Be mindful not to overcrowd the pan. Remove the first batch of cutlets from pan, add 2 teaspoons ghee/butter and cook remaining chicken in batches. 

When all the chicken is done, reduce heat to medium and return chicken to skillet and season with salt and pepper. Add remaining ingredients, cover, and let steam for about 4 to 5 minutes, until the asparagus is tender. Optionally garnish with lemon slices.

Serving suggestion: